Forest
by Squikbloodlolli
Summary: In the forests of the night, one may become to see his truth


"Could my love for her be any stronger?"  
  
"Yes...mother earth. I could smell her with each breath, feel her with the deepening emotions of my heart. Hear her soft cries of pain every time i closed my eyes..." Aeris' heart was in pain. she slowly opened her gentle green eyes and a single tear spilled from the emptiness of her emotions.  
  
"you have...taken it all, taken it all away..." she whispered in his ear. her breath rushing about his hair so it softly swayed just barely.  
  
"Taken it away? My dearest...the earth still lives..." he pointed out. pulling his arm up to hers, wrapping them around her tiny frame.  
  
"Sephiroth...you do not understand..." she whispered, hardly able to speak. The knot in her throat threatening to break loose.  
  
"I understand more than you can imagine, my love..." he smiled at her, turning his head and staring at her deeply with those haunted eyes.  
  
her breath was taken from her lungs, unable to speak a word, she simply nodded and reasted her head on his chest.  
  
It was only until now that Cloud was interested in their setting. yes...they were in the ancient forest. The light peaking through the leaves atop the tree's tall perks. There stood sephiroth, holding Aeris close to his frame, letting himself smell her hair. Cloud remembered the smell of her hair. It was like flowers, a wonderful field of flowers, where the sun baked the ground and the wonderous blue sky ahead brightened her soft eyes.  
  
Cloud couldn't reach her. He knew this already. he'd had many dreams like this one, many many dreams. Aeris always out of his grasp. This time, he didn't even both to try.  
  
Sephiroth turned to him now, his haunted eyes full of the evil he still held inside himself. A smirk played happily across his lips, as though he'd won... won. Sephiroth had won. He'd won Aeris.  
  
Cloud had saved the earth of certain distruction...but he had not saved the love of his life..Aeris.  
  
"Aeris..." he gently said her name, as though it was new to him. She looked up at Cloud now, both Sephiroth and her penetrating him with their stare. The angel and her demon. That was it....Cloud would be no part of them any longer. Every time he would settle down for a weary night's sleep, his heart would break once more. Aeris...he would tell himself. Aeris.... whispering her name over and over until Tifa came into the room, seeing the tears flow heavily from his eyes.  
  
"Cloud, whats wrong?" she would ask, her beatiful brown eyes full of worry and consern.  
  
"it's nothing.." he would always say, turning away and pulling the blanket over his shoulder so she would not see his face. Tifa was gentle, and intellegent. she knew he was in pain, but knew well enough to leave him be. His eyes would adjust slowly to the light fading at she closed the door.  
  
He remembered this all, as he and Aeris stare at each other. She blinked. Her stare subsided for only a moment's time. He could bare it no longer, closing his eyes, he fell to the ground. Throwing his hands to his face, he sobbed and sobbed, until his energy was only used for his tears.  
  
"It's alright, it's alright..." came a soft, angelic voice. His eyes fluttered open. There was Tifa, stroking his forehead, looking at him with her kind eyes.  
  
"I'm fine," Cloud said at once, refusing to look up at her.  
  
"Then how come you have tears in your eyes?" he did not answer.  
  
There was a sudden rapping on the door.  
  
"I'll be out in a second!" Tifa called, her voice so gentle and kind. She looked down at Cloud, and moved his head to the side. She stood, smoothed out her skirt, and walked to the door.  
  
"I'm sure breakfast is ready..." she informed him, opening the door just enough so his eyes would adjust without hurting. She was gone.  
  
Cloud stood, walking clumsily to the window, opening it and basking himself with the sun's rays. It felt pleasent on his milky skin. The day was brighter than usual. He could see the coast, and children running along in the water laughing heartfully. He smiled. Even with the events of the night before, it was sure to be a wonderful day.  
  
"Oh Cloud! I'm glad you've decided to come out for breakfast! It's already nine!" Tifa said, setting a plate of waffles down on the table in his spot. Cloud said nothing and sat down.  
  
"Well?" she asked. Tifa looked very pleasent today. She wore her hair up, it was now very short of course. After the battle, she'd decided to cut it short, only about shoulder length. It was now up and in a pony tail, small strangs coming down in front of her eyes. Her frame was as small as ever, and bust line the same size. The dress she was wearing was a brilliant white, simple yet lovely. a sundress.  
  
"thank you..." he spoke softly. Tifa smiled at him, took her plate, set in down in front of her spot, and sat down. They ate in silence.  
  
Cloud stood, after he finished his meal. Tifa looked up at him, a bit conserned.  
  
"Was it good?" she asked, nervous. Cloud turned to her, no emotion behind his words.  
  
"it was fine." she smiled at him. It was hard for her, really hard. She lived with Cloud, finally. It was always her dream to live with this man. However...even though she may be living with him, something is missing. He does not love her. He loves another. and what makes it worse, is that he is in misery. The one he loved, died, died in front of their very eyes. It pained Tifa, to see his sorrow, but she held onto her happiness. If she were to show her sorrow as well, his would only get worse. She had to be strong, she had to be strong for Cloud.  
  
"Oh Cloud, I'm going to the beach today. Do you want to join me?" she asked, standing and collecting the dishes. Cloud shrugged, heading towards the bathroom. His hair was a mess, damp with a cold sweat and his face moist from the tears.  
  
"Well if you are, be ready in an hour!" she called to him. Cloud ignored this and shut the bathroom door. He was in deep need for a shower.  
  
The bathroom was bright, and happy. Not exactly his mood at the moment, but it helped. He opened the window and a breeze from the ocean swept in, the scent of salt arousing his senses.  
  
  
  
Cloud wasn't very found of these surroundings. He didn't even like Costa Del Sol. He asked himself, many times, why he had let himself move so close to the heat. Perhaps it was Tifa who dragged him along with her. That must have been it. He would have prefered to stay back, live in Kalm or maybe Junon. Somewhere where everyone was calm, quiet and didn't constantly bug him.  
  
He used to be like that. Bugging people. He used to love to ask people questions, busy streets and crowded areas. Not anymore. He's tired of it all. It was obvious to him that he had sunken into a deep depression that he felt he could never swim out of. What did it matter. Tifa needed him around the house and for work, and Tifa had always been there for him. It was his time to give back.  
  
"Cloud!" Tifa called to him, startling him from his half daze on the sand. "Cloud!" she called again. He answered the second time.  
  
"What is it?" groggy, he sat up, putting his hand over his forehead, shading his eyes from the harsh rays of the sun.  
  
Tifa turned to him, her face in deep consern. Tifa never could swim. He knew why she was so distressed.  
  
Somewhere out a little ways off the shore was someone splashing away. People from all around were just sitting there, staring, expecting someone else to do something about it. Of course, that someone else was always Cloud.  
  
He stood up slowly and began to walk toward the shore. People turned and watched. Not a word from any of their mouths. "Yes yes" he thought to himself. "Stare at me. I'm this kid's savior..." it was sarcasm, even inside his head. Swiftly he jumped into the water and swam out to the drowning child. By the time he got to his side, he was blue faced and already under the surface of the water. Dunking his head under the freezing water, he opened his eyes. It stung for a moment, but he had a job.  
  
Quickly he found the boy and held him in his arms. It wasn't much to bring him to shore and set him out on the sand.  
  
"your turn," Cloud said to the by-standers, and who he thought his parents were. The boy wasn't breathing. He didn't bother looking up at Tifa. He knew she was watching him, but he never let his eyes off the sand.  
  
  
  
The sand was hot on his feet, and his breath was getting shallow. He was cold, the wind wasn't helping. He was cold and shaking. He didn't care if anyting was in his way, or if he stepped on a rock. All he cared about right now....was to get away from here. Whereever here was.  
  
Naturally, his shoulder and a woman's shoulder met. It stung for a second but he said nothing, just kept walking.  
  
"Oh, i'm sorry sir," she said softly. Cloud froze. He dared not to turn around. Her voice was so familar. He swore her upper torso was covered in pink, and a splash of white untanned skin.  
  
He didn't hestitate to turn around. There were many people walking around him, but no one wearing pink..or anyone without a tan. He mentally slapped himself.  
  
How could he be thinking about her...still. He was hallucinating, again. Swiftly he ran up the stairs onto the main street and to his home. It was where johnny once lived. Him and his girlfriend who always showered. Cloud could see Nanaki resting in the shade. He was happily playing with children and their soccer ball. At this point in his life...she wasn't gone. Aeris...wasn't gone.  
  
He forced these thoughts out of his mind. How dare he let himself dwell. It was hard enough as it was.  
  
Sticking the key in the key hole, he let himself in, his eyes only toward the ground.  
  
"Hey! Spike head!" Cloud froze. It was that familar deep, very black voice.  
  
"Why are you here..." Cloud didn't even bother to look up. His eyes were glued to his feet.  
  
"I'm here because Tifa told me to come, thats why. Do you have a problem with it?" Barret's voice rattled the door.  
  
"Not really..." Cloud shuffled by him and entered the kitchen.  
  
"Whats up with you...?" Cloud sighed. He didn't want to answer. It has been the same thing bothering him for quiet some time. For a year...he couldn't get his mind of it. And that year is still rolling, and still...his mind refuses to let go of memories.  
  
"Silence speaks more than words could ever express..." Barret now sat on a stool at the counter, his deep brown eyes focusing completely on Cloud.  
  
"Sence when have you become so intellectual.." Cloud turned and filled a pot full of water. He could hear Barret mumble to himself.  
  
"Listen...i know why your heart aches. My heart aches too...but not in the same way as yours..." He set his head in his hands. Cloud could hardly take this. People lecturing him about his loss. It was a bit better with Barret...he was there...he saw it happen. They all had.  
  
"Thats obvious. I would rather not talk about it..." Cloud placed the water on the stove, turning it all the way to high. He could feel Barret's glare.  
  
"Damnit!" he stood and knocked the stool over. Cloud didn't even bother to look at him. "Don't you see! We're trying to help you! Tifa is in love with you, but do you bother to notice her!? NO!" The rattling in Barret's voice shook Cloud's ribs.  
  
"...I know..."  
  
"Thats it....thats all you have to say...'I know'.....how could you play with her heart like that!?" Cloud's face turned red and hot with anger.  
  
"If you love her so much..." his body swiftly turned. Their noses now inches apart. "then why don't you take her?" Barret was nearly speechless.  
  
"You cold...heartless bastard...she is like a sister to me. Don't you see that!?" Cloud pulled away a bit and veared his eyes to the door. He'd known it was open for quiet some time. Barret's eyes soon wandered toward that direction.  
  
There stood Tifa. Her eyes full of anger and tears. There was no way the men she loved the most in her life...could treat her this rotten...talk about her behind her back...  
  
"how dare you.....how dare you both..." Cloud couldn't stand to hear that tone in her voice. The slight shake and wobble of tears ready to burst. He had been a bit cruel... With those words, she stumbled backwards, her eyes glued on them. And suddenly, she let herself run. Cloud had never seen her run that fast...not even...not even when she died...  
  
Tifa couldn't stand it. she'd been taking care of Cloud for nearly a year...dealing with his constant dwell on....her. Her best friend...she loved Aeris...but she couldn't stand this...not any more. Not when Cloud so openly admitted he wanted nothing to do with Tifa.  
  
Where was she going? She wasn't quiet sure. Out...that was where she was going. Out of the town. Maybe to somewhere where her heart didn't ache for at least a minute out of the day. Tears stung her eyes, she could feel them running down her cheeks and leaving a slight red stain. She closed her eyes. She no longer wanted to see. She dropped to the ground on her knees. No longer did she want to stand.  
  
Letting herself indulge in the moment, she wept. She wept and wept into hands for hours. A hopeless, depressed weep. 


End file.
